This invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling operation of a television signal receiver. The apparatus controls the operation of the receiver unit in response to program information transmitted with the television signal.
In television signal receivers cooperating with video recorders it is generally known to employ a timing device for energizing and/or deenergizing the receiver unit at a preselected time. This offers the possibility of recording a predetermined program during the user's absence for watching it at a later time, since it is not necessary that the television set be manually switched on at the starting time indicated in the program journal. It frequently happens, however, that a program scheduled for a definite time is postponed or even cancelled. Employ of a timing device in this case leads to the desired program being incompletely or not at all recorded by the video recorder. Moreover, the employ of a timer may lead to imperfections in a recording under various circumstances, such as in case of interruptions caused by film breakage or the like, advertising spots transmitted within the announced transmission time for a desired program, announcements, and programs transmitted at a not exactly predeterminable time, e.g. sports events.